Reclosable carton

ABSTRACT

A reclosable carton ( 11 ) is provided which may contain objects nearly the size of the carton that can be readily dispensed and where the carton can be conveniently re-closed by a user. A specific pattern of tear lines on the top ( 17 ) and front ( 19 ) panels allows easy opening and re-closing and allows for a reduction in packaging material usage to save production costs. The reclosable carton design reduces the risk of tearing other areas of the carton and maintains its integrity when it is opened by a user.

The invention relates to a carton and specifically to one that is easilyopened and re-closed by a consumer.

Reclosable cartons with front and top panels where each panel has 2fixed sections and a single openable section that spans a fold line areknown. U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,365 issued on Apr. 19, 1988 to Prater; U.S.Pat. No. 5,076,439 issued on Dec. 31, 1991 to Kuchenbecker; U.S. Pat.No. 5,085,323 issued on Feb. 4, 1992 to Kuchenbecker et al.; EP PatentNo. 697340 issued on Oct. 28, 1998 to Inger; and GB Patent No. 1451138to Carling O'Keefe Limited all describe examples of such cartons. Otherrelated prior art disclosures include Brazil Patent No. MU 8400469-0 Uissued to Filho and published on Oct. 25, 2005; and Brazil Patent No. PI0205132-0 A issued to Bohlen et al. and published on Nov. 25, 2002.

Surprisingly, it was discovered that a reclosable carton could bedesigned with a top panel having four separated fixed sections and afront panel with two fixed sections. These fixed sections are arrangedin a specific relationship that allows easy opening and re-closing andmaximizes access to the contents of the carton such as e.g. a soap baror other items that are approximately as large as the container.Moreover it was unexpectedly discovered that end flap overlap could beminimized to speed carton blank production and conserve materialswithout the danger of end flap damage when the carton was opened, thusmaintaining carton integrity.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided areclosable carton that is formed by folding a cut or stamped blank thatincludes a front panel and a top panel connected at a fold line wherethe front and top panels also have two spaced apart tear lines. Thespaced apart tear lines define a reclosable portion extending across thefold line separating the front and top panels. The front reclosablepanel has a finger tab connected at a fold line. The blank also includesa back panel connected both to a top panel at a fold line and to abottom panel at a fold line. A glue panel is also connected to thebottom panel at a fold line, and further includes a locking slit flapconnected to the glue panel at a fold line. Each of the front, top, backand bottom panels have opposite end flaps connected at fold lines toeach of the front, top, back and bottom panels and each end flap has twospaced apart lateral edges and an axial edge. During assembly of thereclosable carton, the glue panel is attached to a front fixed sectionwith adhesive, and the reclosable portion, finger tab and locking slitflap are kept free of adhesive.

In further detail, and with each of the ensuing features beingpreferred, each of the tear lines has a first end and a second end, andeach of the tear lines intersect the fold line between the top and frontpanels at a point at least 3 mm from each of the adjacent top panel endflap lateral edges at the first end. Each of the tear lines intersectthe fold line between the top panel end flap and the top panel at adistance of at least 3 mm from the nearest end flap lateral edge. Eachof the tear lines extend partially along each of the top panel end flapfold lines, wherein each of the tear lines is spaced at least 3 mm fromeach of the lateral edges of the adjacent top panel end flaps.Furthermore, each of the tear lines intersects the fold line between thetop and front panels at a point at least 3 mm from the adjacent toppanel end flap lateral edge. Each of the tear lines also intersects thefinger tab fold line and each of the spaced apart second ends of thetear lines is positioned at the outermost edge of the finger tab.

In addition the glue panel defines a locking slit, and the frontreclosable section has a tuck flap connected to the finger tab at a foldline. The tuck flap is positioned to engage the locking slit when thefinger tab is flexed in order to close the reclosable section of thecarton after its initial opening along the tear lines.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way ofexample only with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein likefigures represent like features, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top planar view of a preferred embodiment of a sleeve blankshown in FIGS. 2-5 in assembled form;

FIG. 1A is a detailed portion of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the assembled carton from the blankshown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3A is a front elevational view of the assembled carton;

FIG. 3B is a rear elevational view of the assembled carton;

FIG. 3C is a side elevational view of the assembled carton.;

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of the assembled carton illustrating thefirst step in opening the carton when the tab is pulled from the frontpanel;

FIG. 4B is a perspective view of the assembled carton illustrating thesecond step in opening the carton when the openable portion 26 isseparated from the front panel;

FIG. 4C is a perspective view of the assembled carton illustrating thethird step in opening the carton when the openable portion is partiallyseparated from the top panel;

FIG. 4D is a perspective view of the assembled carton illustrating afourth step in opening the carton when the openable portion iscompletely separated from the top panel;

FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the assembled carton illustrating thefirst step in closing the carton when the when tab 50 is flexed upwardwhile pulling openable portions 22 and 26 towards their original closedpositions;

FIG. 5B is a perspective view of the assembled carton illustrating thesecond step in closing the carton when the reclosable portion 22 hasbeen restored to its original closed position;

FIG. 5C is a perspective view of the assembled carton illustrating thethird step in closing the carton when tab 50 is flexed further upward toalign tuck flap 42 with locking slit 44; and

FIG. 5D is a perspective view of the assembled carton illustrating afourth step in closing the carton when tuck flap 42 has been inserted inlocking slit 44.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a carton blank 10 is stamped or cut frompaperboard, coated paperboard that is coated with a natural or syntheticwaterproof or water resistant material such as polyethylene or othersynthetic or natural polymers, wax, other suitable materials or blendsthereof. The blank may also be composed of other foldable or hingeableplastic or other suitable materials. If paperboard or coated paperboardis used, the basis weight is preferably between 200 and 450 grams persquare meter (“gsm”) and more preferably between 250 and 350 gsm. Ifcoated paperboard is used as described above, the coating weight ispreferably between 10 and 50 gsm and more preferably between 12 and 25gsm.

The carton blank is folded to form a reclosable carton 11. The blank 10includes a front panel 19 and top panel 17 connected at fold line 28having two spaced apart tear lines 58, 121, 122 and 126. Front panel 19contains two fixed sections 25 and reclosable section 26. Top panel 17contains two fixed sections 23, two fixed sections 27 and reclosablesection 22. The tear lines define reclosable portions 22 and 26extending across fold line 28. The front reclosable panel 26 has fingertab 50 connected at fold line 49. The back panel 18 is connected to thetop panel 17 at fold line 24. The back panel is also connected to bottompanel 14 at fold line 20 and glue panel 12 is connected to bottom panel14 at fold line 16. Glue panel 12 has a locking slit flap 45 connectedat fold line 46. The front, top, back and bottom panels have oppositeend flaps 38, 36, 34, 30 respectively connected at fold lines 37, 35,33, 32 to each of the front, top, back and bottom panels respectively.

Each end flap has two spaced apart lateral edges and a single axialedge. More specifically, end flap 38 has lateral edges 100 and 104 andaxial edge 102, end flap 36 has lateral edges 106 and 110 and axial edge108, end flap 34 has lateral edges 112 and 116 and axial edge 114, andend flap 30 has lateral edges 118 and 130 and axial edge 120. Uponassembly of the carton from the blank, the glue panel 12 is attached tofront fixed sections 25 with a suitable adhesive or optionally otherequivalent attachment means such as interlocking tabs etc. Thereclosable portions 22, 26, finger tab 50 and locking slit flap 45 arekept free of adhesive during folding and assembly of the carton to alloweasy opening.

Each of the tear lines 58, 121, 122 and 126 has a first end 134 adjacentto tear line 122 and a second end 132 adjacent to tear line 126, whereineach of said tear lines intersects the fold line 24 at a point at least3 mm from each of top panel end flap lateral edges 110 at the first end134, and wherein each of said tear lines intersects fold lines 35 at adistance of at least 3 mm from axial edge 110. Each of said tear lines58 extends partially along each of the fold lines 35. Each of said tearlines is also spaced at least 3 mm from each of the lateral edges 106 oftop panel end flaps 36, and each of said tear lines intersects the foldline 28 between the top and front panels at a point at least 3 mm fromtop panel end flap lateral edge 106. In addition, each of said tearlines intersects the fold line 49 and each of the spaced apart secondends 132 of the tear lines is positioned at edge 200.

The glue panel 12 defines a locking slit 44, and the front reclosablesection 26 has a tuck flap 42 connected to the finger tab 50 at a foldline 49, wherein the tuck flap is positioned to engage the locking slit44 when the finger tab 50 is flexed when the carton is re-closed. In onepreferred embodiment, the top panel end flap axial edge 108 and bottompanel axial edge 120 do not overlap in the assembled carton. Preferablythe top panel end flap axial edge 108 and bottom panel axial edge 120overlap by no more than 1 mm in the assembled carton as illustrated inFIGS. 3A and 3B.

In a preferred embodiment, the top panel 17 of the carton furtherincludes (a) a pair of opposite fixed triangular segments 23 having legs51, 51′ of respective lengths d5, d5′ extending along fold line 28 andadjacent legs 52, 52′ of respective lengths d3, d3′ extending along foldline 35; (b) a pair of opposite fixed triangular segments 27 each havingleg 54, 54′ of respective lengths d1, d1′ extending along fold line 24and adjacent legs 56, 56′ of respective lengths d3, d3′ extending alongfold line 35; wherein fold line 28 has a length of d6, fold line 35 hasa length of d4 and fold line 24 has a length of d2; and wherein:

(d1+d1′)/d2=A where A is in the range of 0.18 to 0.30;

(d3+d3′)/d4=B where B is in the range of 0.35 to 0.55; and

(d5+d5′)/d6=C where C is in the range of 0.15 to 0.26.

Preferably the tear line ends 132, 134 and points where the lines crossfold line 28 are disposed symmetrically between the end flaps, andopposed pair of triangle legs 51, 51′ are equal to each other. Similarlyopposed pairs of triangle legs 52, 52′; 54, 54′ and 56, 56′ are alsoequal to each other as illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 so as to preferablycreate a symmetrical opened package. However the present invention alsoenvisages an asymmetrical arrangement where one or more pairs of opposedtriangle legs are not equal (i.e. 51 is not equal to 51′ etc.) providedthe minimum 3 mm distance of a tear line from the nearest adjacent endflap lateral edge is maintained.

As illustrated in FIGS. 4A to D, the carton is opened by a user graspingfinger tab 50 at its edge 200 and pulling to separate the tab from fixedsections 25 along the portion of tear lines 126 adjacent to edge 200(FIG. 4A). Next reclosable section 26 is separated from fixed sections25 along the remaining portion of tear lines 126 as the tab is pulledfurther upwards (FIG. 4B). Next reclosable section 22 is separated fromfixed sections 23 along tear lines 121 and partially separated from toppanel end flap 36 along a portion of tear line 58 as the tab is pulledfurther (FIG. 4C). Finally reclosable section 22 is fully separated fromtop panel end flap 36 along the remaining portion of tear line 58 andalso separated from fixed sections 27 as the carton is completely opened(FIG. 4D).

As illustrated in FIGS. 5 A to D, the carton is closed as the usergrasps tab 50, flexing it upward along fold line 49 thereby causing tuckflap 42 to move downward and away from the plane of section 26 whilesimultaneously pulling sections 22 and 26 back to their original closedposition (FIGS. 5 A to C). Finally, the user inserts tuck flap 42 (notshown) into locking slit 44 thereby completing the closure of the carton(FIG. 5D).

While this invention has been described with respect to particularembodiments thereof, it is apparent that numerous other forms andmodifications of the invention will be obvious to those skilled in theart. The appended claims and this invention generally should beconstrued to cover all such obvious forms and modifications which arewithin the true spirit and scope of the present invention.

1. A reclosable carton 11 comprising: (a) a blank 10 including a frontpanel 19 and top panel 17 connected at a fold line 28 having two spacedapart tear lines 58, 121, 122, 126 defining a reclosable portion 22, 26extending across said fold line 28, the front reclosable panel 26 havinga finger tab 50 connected to the front reclosable panel 26 at a foldline 49, a back panel 18 connected to the top panel 17 at a fold line24, said back panel connected to a bottom panel 14 at a fold line 20 anda glue panel 12 connected to bottom panel 14 at a fold line 16, the gluepanel 12 having a locking slit flap 45 connected to the glue panel 12 ata fold line 46, wherein each of the front, top, back and bottom panelshave opposite end flaps 38, 36, 34, 30 connected at fold lines 37, 35,33, 32 to each of the front, top, back and bottom panels respectively,wherein each end flap has two spaced apart lateral edges 100, 104, 106,110, 112, 116, 118, 130 and an axial edge 102, 108, 114, 120; whereinthe glue panel 12 is attached to front fixed section 25 with adhesive,wherein the reclosable portion 22, 26, finger tab 50 and locking slitflap 45 are kept free of adhesive during assembly of the carton; (b)each of the tear lines has a first end 134 and a second end 132, whereineach of said tear lines intersect the fold line 24 at a point at least 3mm from each of the adjacent top panel end flap lateral edges 110 at thefirst end 134, wherein each of said tear lines intersects fold lines 35at a distance of at least 3 mm from each of lateral edges 110, whereineach of said tear lines extends partially along each of the fold lines35 along leg 58, wherein each of said tear lines is spaced at least 3 mmfrom each of the lateral edges 106, wherein each of said tear linesintersects the fold line 28 between the top and front panels at a pointat least 3 mm from each of top panel end flap lateral edges 106, whereineach of said tear lines intersects the fold line 49 and wherein each ofthe spaced apart second ends 132 of the tear lines is positioned at anedge 200; and (c) said glue panel 12 defining a locking slit 44, saidfront reclosable section 26 having a tuck flap 42 connected to thefinger tab 50 at a fold line 49 wherein the tuck flap is positioned toengage the locking slit 44 when the finger tab 50 is flexed in order toclose the reclosable section of the carton after its initial openingalong the tear lines.
 2. The reclosable carton of claim 1 wherein thetop panel end flap axial edge 108 and bottom panel axial edge 120overlap by no more than 1 mm after assembly of the blank 10 into thecarton.
 3. The reclosable carton of claim 1 wherein top panel 17 furthercomprises: (a) a pair of opposite fixed triangular segments 23 havinglegs 51, 51′ of respective lengths d5 and d5′ extending along fold line28 and adjacent legs 52, 52′ of respective lengths d3 and d3′ extendingalong fold line 35; (b) a pair of opposite fixed triangular segments 27having legs 54 and 54′ of respective lengths d1 and d1′ extending alongfold line 24 and adjacent legs 56 and 56′ of respective lengths d3 andd3′ extending along fold line 35; (c) wherein fold line 28 has a lengthof d6, fold line 35 has a length of d4 and fold line 24 has a length ofd2; and, (c) wherein(d1+d1′)/d2=A where A is in the range of 0.18 to 0.30;(d3+d3′)/d4=B where B is in the range of 0.35 to 0.55; and(d5+d5′)/d6=C where C is in the range of 0.15 to 0.26.